Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Review

It is impossible to understate how much detail is packed onto this little DS card. By the nature of the hardware, the game shouldn

The sound of gunfire, car crashes, explosions, and more all deliver a solid amount of oomph. That by itself would be reason enough to be excited, but Rockstar also threw in a slew of oddball one liners just perverse enough to tickle my inner 13-year-old. Who wouldn

The controls are deceptive at first because initially they appear to be overwhelming. The top screen shows the game world while the touch pad shows your map, and PDA information. All this is fine by itself, but once you click the map or the PDA option you enter a whole other world, one that is nothing but detail intensive. This is where it initially appears to be a labyrinth from which even Theseus couldn

I wasn

If ever there was a game filled to the brim with “win” it would be Chinatown Wars. The narrative may not be the most propulsive, but practically everything there is to do in the game (and there is a lot) is extremely fun. Even the races, which admittedly can frustrate, are fun to master. The extensive amount of mini-games alone could keep a gamer occupied for hours on end, and half the fun is finding a mini-game where you least expect one.

Rockstar went all out on this and their efforts have delivered a remarkable achievement that will cast a long shadow over future DS titles.

Ron Burke is the Editor in Chief for Gaming Trend. Currently living in Fort Worth, Texas, Ron is an old-school gamer who enjoys CRPGs, action/adventure, platformers, music games, and has recently gotten into tabletop gaming.
Ron is also a fourth degree black belt, with a Master's rank in Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū, Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, Universal Tang Soo Do Alliance, and International Tang Soo Do Federation. He also holds ranks in several other styles in his search to be a well-rounded fighter.
Ron has been married to Gaming Trend Editor, Laura Burke, for 21 years. They have three dogs - Pazuzu (Irish Terrier), Atë, and Calliope (both Australian Kelpie/Pit Bull mixes).